The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me!"
Bartimaeus, the unnamed beggar in Saint Luke's account (which he copied from Saint Mark) is one of my favorite biblical characters, and I have reflected on it many times. And probably preached on it more!
Today I notice the phrase, all the more. Though the crowd rebuked him for disturbing their listening to Jesus, he seemed to draw energy from their harassment and shouted all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!"
And was rewarded by the Lord for his effort!
Bartimaeus and the Lord represent certain inconvenient truths to the crowd. Bartimaeus' rude noises remind us of our need for God's mercy. We're not making it! We're failing badly; and the harder we try, the worse it gets. Being polite about it doesn't help!
The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. Organized by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, it was a nationwide "teach-in" of 20 million Americans who wanted to protect the environment. It sparked effective public support and political action, leading to the creation of the EPA and new environmental legislation.
In July, the Trump administration shut down the scientific research arm of the Environmental Protection Agency. If they make new regulations, they'll do it in the dark, with little confidence in their data and no clear expectation of achievable results. Meanwhile, our consumption of energy continues to outpace the production of new energy sources, and the nations of the world burn more fossil fuel today than ever before.
Secondly, I hate to think of which nation leads the world in the manufacture of WMDs, (weapons of mass destruction) but it hardly matters. These miracles of human creativity will be used to destroy non-combatant citizens, following the pattern set in World War II.
While the world watches helplessly, we the Church must speak for everyone and pray for deliverance. We should be like Bartimaeus, loud, persistent, and irrepressible.
Many people doubt the existence and presence of God. They deny his interventions in human life. But whether they believe there is a God or not, they should know that truth is intrusive. It is jealous and demanding, and will be heard. The stories of the Old Testament and human history remind us that the truth can resort to violence when warnings go unheard.
Faced with a choice of welcoming or warring against it, we cry out with the blind beggar, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us."
And in our blindness we hear his familiar voice, “Your faith has saved you."
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.